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S. S. TURNER.` ENDLEss CHAIN sIcKLB F011 Mowms AND RBAPBRS.

Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

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INVBNTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED- STATES PATENT OEEicE.

SQUIRE S. TURNER, OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI.

ENDLESS-CHAIN SICKLE FOR MOWERS AND REAPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 323,609, dated August a, 1885.

Application Bled May, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, SQUIRE S. TURNER, of Columbia, in the county of Boone and State of Missouri, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Endless Chain Sickles for Mowers and Reapers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, iu which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is aplan view of my improvement, part being broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same, taken through the line a: x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is asectioual end elevation of a part of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation of a number of sickles. Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation of a sickle, enlarged, and showing its connecting-link.

The object of this invention is to provide mowers and reapers constructed in such a inanner as to avoid the wear and -tear and loss of power caused by a continuous change of monon.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

The endless chain, band, or belt of sickles passes around chain-wheels driven from the drive-wheel of the reaper or mower, one of thel said chain-wheels being pivoted to an adjustable crank-axle, so that the tension of the said endless chain of sickles can be readily regulated. The endless chain, band, or belt of sickles is provided with guide-rollers pivoted to adjustable crank-axles, so that the upper and lower parts of the said endless chain of sickles can be kept close together. The upper and lower parts of the endless chain, band, or belt o f sickles are separated and covered with guard-plates to protect them from injury and clogging, as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents the cutter-bar of a reaper or mower, to the inner end of which is secured a pair of standards, B, to and between which is pivoted a chain-wheel, G. To the outer end of the cutter-supporting bar Ais secured a pair of standards, D, between'which is placed a chainwheel, E. The chain-wheel E revolves upon a journal of a crank-axle, F, the upright arm of which is slotted to receive the bolt G, by which (No model.)

the said crank -aXle is secured io the rear standard, D, so that the chain-wheel E can have a lateral adjustment to regulate the tension of the endless chain H or a band or belt passing around the chain-wheels C E. The endless chain H is formed of links hinged to eachother by small links or rings. or other suitable means.

To the links of the endless chain H are secured, by rivets or other suitable means, the sickles I, which may be made with smooth or serrated edges, as may be desired.

The upper part of the endless chain His held close to and parallel with the lower part by guide-rollers J, placed upon the journals of the crank-axles K, the upright arms of which are slotted to receive the bolts L, by means of which the said crankaxles are secured to the adjacent parts of the rear standards, B D, so that the said guide-rollers J can be readily adjusted. The upper and lower parts of the endless chain H are separated by a plate, M, attached to the cutter-bar A, and which I prefer to make with asquare forward edge fitting into recesses in the adjacent sides of the sickles to allow the sickles' l of the two parts of the chain to come close together. The outer sides of the endless chain H are covered and protected by plates N, attached to the cutter-supporting bar A.

The outer and inner ends of the cutter-supporting bar A are provided with shoes O in the ordinary manner, and the outer end of the said cutter-supporting bar is provided with an ordinary guard, P, to separate the grass or grain.

The rear journal of the inner chain-wheel, C, projects, and revolves in abearing, Q, attached tothe cutter-supporting bar A, and to it is attached a gear-wheel, R, the teeth of which mesh into a gear-wheel, S, connected in the ordinary manner with the drive-wheel of the machine.

With this construction the sickles will opcrate with a continuous movement, the upper and lower sickles moving .in opposite directions, so that the grass or grain will be out between them.

With this construction, also, the wear and tear caused by the constant change in the direction of motion will be avoided, so that the machine will be made lighter and will require IOO much less power to draw and operate it than machines constructed vin the ordinary manner. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a reaper or mower, the cutter-bar A, provided at its opposite ends with vertical standards D D B B, in combination with the chain-wheel C, j ournaled in standards B B, the crank-axle F, provided with a vertical slotted arm, screw G, securing the same adjustably to one standard, D, the endless chain of sickles and guide-rollers, substantially as set forth.

2. In a reaper or mower, the combination, with the cutter-bar, vertical standards B B D D, the chain-wheels journaled between said standards and the endless chain of sickles, of the crank-axles K K, having vertical slotted arms, screws L, securing them adjustahly to one standard, B and D, respectively, and the guide-rollers J J, journaled on said adjustableerank-axles, substantially as set forth.

3. A reaper or mower having a cutting apparatus comprising the cutter-bar A, standards D D at the outer end and standards B B Q at the inner end,l the chain-wheel C, journaled between the standards B B, and having its shaft extended to the bearing Q, the gearwheel R on said shaft, the chain-wheel E, the crank-axle F, provided with avertical slotted arm, screw G, securing the same to one standard, D, the crank-axles K, having slotted arms and set-screws, the guide-rollers J J, the central guard-plate, M, the chain of -sickles passed around the chain-wheels, and the guard-plates N, substantially as set forth.

FRANK D. EVANS, lRoNIE O. HocKADAY. 

